Chilton Trinity School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Chilton Trinity is an inclusive school that is based on the traditional values of 'work hard and be kind'. Pupils are proud to attend this school.

They feel safe and have a trusted adult they can talk to about any concerns. Pupils say bullying is rare. If incidents occur, leaders take swift and effective action.

Pupils benefit from a rich personal development curriculum. This includes learning about eating healthily, issues such as homophobia and how to be respectful citizens. The school runs mock general elections and holds voting for the school council.

This helps pupils to understand concepts such as democracy. Pupils appreciate the wide range of opportuni...ties on offer, including the enrichment days. Pupils value the range of extra-curricular opportunities available to them.

Behaviour in lessons and around the school site is usually calm and orderly. Staff support pupils well and model high expectations. Pupils say that teachers expect them to work hard in lessons.

However, too many pupils are not meeting these expectations and continue to display poor conduct. This means some pupils are removed from lessons or receive a fixed-term suspension too frequently.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils follow a broad curriculum that meets the needs of most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

In the strongest subjects, there is a well-designed curriculum throughout key stages 3 and 4. The knowledge that pupils need to succeed is well sequenced and teachers check what pupils have remembered regularly. However, in other subjects, there are gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding.

Where this is the case, teachers do not have a secure enough understanding of what pupils know and can do, which limits their progress.

Pupils with SEND are fully included in the life of the school. They have the same curriculum as other pupils.

Most of these pupils participate well in lessons. Teachers use the information that leaders provide about pupils' needs to plan learning carefully. In some subjects, leaders use assessment to consider carefully which areas of the curriculum pupils with SEND may find most challenging.

This does not happen in all subjects.

Leaders do not have a sharp focus on ensuring that pupils at the early stages of reading receive enough support to catch up. There is no clear literacy strategy in place to improve pupils' spoken and written communication.

However, pupils read engaging and diverse texts daily. Leaders have ensured that these texts link closely to the school's personal development programme.

There are clear expectations and routines, which means that most pupils demonstrate a positive attitude to learning in lessons.

Teachers do not tolerate low-level disruption, and use the school's behaviour policy effectively. However, this does not always lead to an improvement in pupils' behaviour. Therefore, these pupils continue to miss lessons and fall behind in their learning.

In addition, some pupils find it difficult to follow the curriculum, partly due to their low attendance. Leaders have not improved the attendance of disadvantaged pupils sufficiently.

Leaders provide pupils with opportunities to explore different faiths and cultures.

They learn about equality and develop their understanding of consent in an age-appropriate way. Pupils benefit from high-quality guidance and advice about careers. Pupils visit universities and listen to talks from people in the community who work in a range of different vocations.

The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

Leaders know the school well. They have a secure understanding of the areas for further development and have started to make improvements.

Leaders consider the well-being of staff. They make changes to deadlines or adjust meetings in response to workload concerns raised by staff. Governors and the trust provide appropriate support and challenge to the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school secures the help that pupils need. There is strong pastoral support and effective links with external agencies when required.

Staff record and report any concerns appropriately. Leaders act on this information quickly to keep pupils safe. There is regular, appropriate training for staff and governors.

This includes on issues such as knife crime and peer-on-peer abuse.

The school has suitable policies in place to raise awareness among staff and parents about the dangers of sexual harassment, online sexual abuse and sexual violence. Pupils are aware of safeguarding risks.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders do not prioritise the development of pupils' literacy skills. Therefore, some pupils have gaps in their reading fluency and confidence. Leaders should ensure there is a clear reading strategy to address these gaps quickly and effectively.

• In some curriculum areas, there is not a clear approach to checking what pupils know and remember. As a result, teachers do not identify gaps in pupils' knowledge or address misconceptions consistently. Leaders should ensure that assessment is robust across all subjects, so that pupils develop detailed knowledge and skills.

Some pupils are repeatedly not displaying the positive behaviour leaders expect. This is leading to pupils receiving frequent sanctions and missing out on some aspects of their learning. Leaders should ensure that the behaviour system supports such pupils to secure an improvement in their conduct.